07 September 2011

Drive With Your Heart

ADDENDUM: I felt the need to bump this blogpost up today.

After the latest series of articles here on Copenhagenize about how many traffic safety campaigns blame the victims and place undue responsibility on everybody except the motorists I once again find myself in love with the Dutch.

Here's the film version of the campaign. Google translate renders the speak like this:'Cars today are full of things that protect the driver: belts, crumple zones, airbags, ABS, electronic stability control..."

"And there is an element in the car that protects other road users."

"That part is in you. Drive with your heart.'

Note that the woman on the bicycle is actually turning left onto a pedestrian crossing. Correct me if I'm wrong but that is technically illegal. Brilliantly, there is only focus on the motorist.

There is light at the end of the tunnel when you realise that there are people out there thinking up campaigns like this and government agencies spending money on them.

There is an interesting report from the Institute of advanced Motorists in the UK at http://www.iam.org.uk/Resources/Institute%20Of%20Advanced%20Motorists/Documents/IAM%20MT/IAMcyclingreportWEB%20(2).pdf

The UK's magazine cycling Plus carries an interesting article on this intiatative by a drivers organisation.

Sadly too many cyclists, especially in the larger Dutch cities, abuse their rights by ignoring traffic lights and traffic regulations in general such as giving way to pedestrians on crossings. Courtesy involves two parties. So yes, there are signs of "why bother with the b*st*rds". And you have no doubt noticed that the helmet industry has claimed an increase in the number of children riding with helmets.

I'm not sure what the law is in other places, but here in CT, USA, you're allowed to ride on the sidewalk if you're a minor or transporting a minor. The woman in that first PSA has a child on the back of her bike, so in CT she's allowed to ride on the sidewalk.

With regards to your note:Note that the woman on the bicycle is actually turning left onto a pedestrian crossing. Correct me if I'm wrong but that is technically illegal. Brilliantly, there is only focus on the motorist.

It seems to me there was silent communication between the cyclist and the driver. She obviously wanted to get to the left of the street to turn left. He slowed/stopped to yield to her and motioned with his head for her to go ahead.

Another one for safety - Let your only contact with another road user be EYE contact.

EYE contact shows you are another human just like the person you are looking at and returning eye contact gives that vital non verbal message "I have seen you - now how are we going to interact"

Sadly one UK survey found that many cyclists had trouble with the 'lifesaver ' manoeuvre - they could not look behind over their shoulder for that positive check, female cyclists reported this most and were involved in more 'failure to observe behind' incidents

On the remark about the legallity of the left turn I had an experience with that up in Sweden a few weeks ago. While approaching a pedestrian/bike crossing a rider just ahead but on the sidewalk/bikepath simply signaled to turn left and went over. What was interesting was the lack of sense of danger for both of us and I put this down to the 30kph road I was on and the understanding that the driver simply must give way. You have got to stop at those crossings or else if there is anyone about to cross.

About the woman going left on the pedestrian crossing: that is perfectly legal when you first dismount as she does. In the final shot you see her walking next to her bike. The 'do have eye contact' message is indeed incorperated perfectly as well.This video is not part of a new campaign, it is from 2006, five years old already.

Kilometres cycled by Copenhageners so far today

Copenhagenize.com is the blog of Copenhagenize Design Company. Online since 2007 and highlighting the cycling life in Copenhagen and around the world.

40 years ago Copenhagen was just as car-clogged as anywhere else but now 41% of the population arriving at work or education do so on bicycles, from all over the Metro area. 55% of Copenhageners themselves use bicycles each day. They all use over 1000 km of bicycle lanes in Greater Copenhagen for their journeys. Copenhagenizing is possible anywhere.